Pantry Challenge – Let’s Do This!

It’s here, it’s March 1st!

What’s that mean? It’s time for the Pantry Challenge!

Starting today, the objective is to purchase as little as possible at the grocery store & use up things that have acquired in the pantry & freezer.  If you’re a late comer to the pantry challenge, you should definitely head over to this post. There are some great printables to help you get organized too if you want to use them.

I still plan on going to the store for things such as milk, bread, and fresh produce when needed – but I am going to use what I already have for the basis of all meals. I have cleaned out my freezer one too many times only to have to throw some things away because they went forgotten at the bottom – so these pantry challenges are essential for me.  I feel like I have a good bit of food here, so I’m going to attempt to do this for 30 days… but if I’m only able to do it for 3 weeks, I’m good with that too.

If you can do it for 3 days, 7 days, 2 weeks, 30 days whatever – I’d love to have you join me! If post anything on social media, do me a favor & hashtag it with #MHHPantryChallenge 🙂

So, this is what I’ve done to prepare myself.

First, I’ve completely cleaned out my pantry so I could see exactly what I had. And let me tell you – it was bad, y’all. Totally disorganized, complete disarray. The product of telling the kids to put away the groceries one (or ten) too many times.

Pantry Challenge

As I put thing back on the shelf, I wrote them down in my notebook. You can use a printable pantry inventory sheet too.

Pantry Challenge

I did the same thing with my freezer & fridge too that way everything was organized & I knew what I had to work with for meal planning purposes.

Remember last week when I told you I had quite the fondness of sauces, especially locally owned ones? I wrote those down separately so that I could devise a plan to use them!

Pantry Challenge

Pantry Challenge

After writing down everything I had (which you don’t have to do, I do this because I’m a very visual person so I need to see it layer out for me!) – I made my menu plan for the next week.  I could go ahead & plan out further, but I’m holding off on that for now to see what all we take out of ‘inventory’ for breakfast, lunch, & snacks – but you most certainly can!

I have a big ol’ turkey sitting in my deep freezer that I’m going to use this week. I purchase 2 every year at Thanksgiving when they go on sale, & I can’t wait to enjoy it again.

Here’s what our dinner menu is looking like for this week:

  • Homemade Tomato Soup (recipe coming soon)
  • Beans & Cornbread
  • BBQ Pork Chops (gonna use up some of my sauce!), leftover beans (from night before), salad
  • Turkey, stuffing, green beans, Mama’s buttermilk biscuits
  • Turkey Bacon Club Baked Sliders (with leftover turkey)
  • Mama’s Chicken & Dumplings (but with leftover turkey) (recipe coming soon)
  • Date night, I don’t have to cook!

Are you planning your menus this week for the pantry challenge?